A PAIR OF 18 INCH LIBRARY GLOBES BY SMITH & SON, THE GLOBES CIRCA 1870
Lot Closed
October 28, 02:49 PM GMT
Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A PAIR OF 18 INCH LIBRARY GLOBES BY SMITH & SON, THE GLOBES CIRCA 1870
the terrestrial globe with cartouche reading ‘SMITH'S TERRESTRIAL GLOBE Containing the whole of THE LATEST DISCOVERIES AND Geographical Improvements, also the TRACKS of the most celebrated Circumnavigators. LONDON SMITH & SON, 63 CHARING CROSS’, the celestial globe with cartouche reading ‘SMITH'S CELESTIAL GLOBE Containing all the principal Stars Compiled from the Works of WOLLASTON, FLAMSTEED, DE LA CAILLE, HAVELIUS [sic], MAYER, BRADLEY, HERSCHEL, MASKELYNE, the Transactions of the ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY of LONDON &c.&c. SMITH & SON, 63 CHARING CROSS’, the brass meridian support engraved ‘Instruments de Science et de Geographie importes par Biennais fournisseur Service du Ministre de la Marine’, both globes with engraved brass hour dial and stamped meridian ring, the globe divided into four quadrants, with hand coloured horizon paper showing degrees of amplitude and azimuth, compass directions, days of the month and houses of the zodiac, mounted on associated mahogany stands, with the horizon raised on three tapering square section legs terminating in castors, with compass centred stretchers the papers by J & W Cary, Strand, London
116.5cm. high; 3ft. 9 3/4 in.
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Christie's London, Scientific, Medical and Engineering Works or Art, 30 June 2004, lot 192.
The publishing firm Charles Smith & Son was founded in 1799. Charles Smith "engraver to the Prince of Wales" and initially started selling maps but competition with the Cary company likely lead to the addition of globes to the firm’s line of production. Charles's son entered the business in 1845 and the range of published globes was extended to include pocket globes and library globes. The firm had a shop at 172 The Strand from 1827 before moving to 63 Charing Cross in 1870.